Car-coupling



(No Model.)

J. W. OKBR.

. GM.l c LING.

, No. 421,232. Patented Feb.11,1890.

INH

' By W UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN W'. BROOKER, OF DALTON, GEORGA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATIONW forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,232, datedFebruary 11, 1890. Application filed December 12, 1889. Serial No.333,427. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concerne:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. BROOKER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dalton, in the county of Whitfield and State of Georgia,have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Car-Couplings, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference be ing had therein tothe accompanying draw ings, in which Figure l represents a perspectiveview of a pair of couplings coupled; Fig. 2, a horizontal sectional viewof one of the draw-heads 5 Fig. 3, a perspective view of one of thedrawheads, the sliding dogs and their securingplate removed; Fig. 4, adetail view of one of the operating devices.

Referring to the annexed drawings by letter, a designates thedraw-heads, which may be attached to the car-beams by means of thedrawbars of ordinary construction. The draw-heads each have formed upontheir forward ends lateral hook-like portions a', and near their rearends shoulders Z). XVorking in horizontal transverse passages formedthrough each of the draw-heads back of the hooks a are sliding rods c,provided with heads c which fit normally in corresponding` recesses inthe faces of the draw-heads, the rear ends of these rods projecting outthrough an aperture in a plate e secured on the back of the drawheadfasshown Working in a recess in the hook portion of each of the draw-headsis a sliding springactuated dog CZ, the forward end of which projectsnormally out a short distance from the face of the hooli a', and isbeveled or rounded off on its front side. The reduced rear end of eachof these dogs passes out through an aperture in the plate e secured onthe back of the draw=head- Upon the Lipper and lower faces of each ofthese sliding dogs are formed tapering ribs d d, which iit and work insimilarlyshaped grooves in the walls of the recess or passage in whichthe dog works, these ribs serving to limit the forward movement of thesliding dogs and prevent undue lateral vibrations during the act ofcoupling.

The projecting ends of each pair of the dogs and sliding rods c arepivotally connected together by means of a lever f pivoted between themupon the back of the draw-head. Operating-chains g are connected to thefor- Ward ends of the levers f. These chains are operated either fromthe top of the car by means of a vertical shaft h, provided with ahand-wheel at its upper end, or from the side of the car by a shortvertical crank-shaft 71.',

journaled in suitable bearings on the endV beams of the car.

-The device for operating the coupling devices from the side of the caris shown in detail in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The extended upper end ofthe crank-shaft is provided with a lateral arm t', between the forkedend of which is pivoted a gravitating operatingdever j, adapted to dropinto either one of two notches 7c in a disk k bolted to the car-beam, aswill presently appear. This lever j normally rests in the notch 7cnearest the drawbar.

The operation of the device is as follows: The draw-heads are soarranged that when the cars come together they will pass alongside ofeach other, their forward ends abut ting against their respectiveshoulders b. vThe sliding dogs will be automatically pressed and heldback in their respective recesses until the hooks a pass each other,when they will automatically spring out again and catch or pass behindthe said hooks a', when the drawheads will be securely coupled. Touncouple the draw-heads, it is simply necessary to draw upon either oneof the chains g, whereupon the forward end of one pivoted lever f willdraw the attached sliding dog back in its recess and the opposite dogwill be forced back in its recess by the forward movement of rod c,leaving the draw-heads free to be separated.

ln case it is desired to keep the dogs pressed back in their recesses,this may be done by dropping the lever j into the notch 7c far thestfrom the draw-head. In this way the forward end of the lever f may beheld away from the drawhead, the attached sliding dog being held backinits recess, and the sliding rod kept pressed forward asufficientdistance to hold its opposite dog back in its recess. The cars may be`then drawn apart at any time, no further attention of the operatorbeingrequired.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-= l. The combination, with a draw-head, ofa IOC) spring-actuated dog in the draw-head, a sliding rod passingthrough the draw-head baek of said dog, and a lever for simultaneouslyoperating the said dog and rod in opposite directions, substantially asand for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with the draw-head provided With a sliding dog androd, and a lever for operating these parts, of a crankshaft connected tosaid lever by a chain, an operating-lever secured to said crankshaft,and a disk provided with stop-notches for the reception of saidoperating-lever, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The oo1nbination,with a draW-head-provided .with a hook, of a slidingdog provided with a beveled projecting nose, this dog being alsoprovided With Wedge-shaped ribs which fit in corresponding grooves inthe draw-head, a sliding rod passing through the draw-head in the rearof said dog, and an operating-lever `pivotally connected to the said rodand dog` and pivoted between them, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof l my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WV. BROOKER.

Vitnesses:

J. C. NORTON, D. SHoLL.

